Climate Change Is The Fight That Unites Us All

The COP26 negotiations in Glasgow have unique urgency. Humanity is at a critical moment. Since the last summit in Paris, five years ago, climate change has finally become a global priority, and it is time for countries to update their commitments and prove how serious they are about reaching the 2030 targets necessary to keep temperature rises below 1.5°C.

From research and evidence, we know climate change disproportionately affects women and girls.

Women in the global south in particular are faced with a crisis they did nothing to cause.
UN figures estimate that 80% of people displaced due to climate change are women.
70% of people living in poverty are women.
Less than 30% of climate negotiators are women, yet women, especially in developing countries will be first and worst effected

That’s why as global feminists we are calling on leaders at COP26 to:

Increase international financial support to communities – including women’s rights organisations – on the frontline of the climate crisis.
Agree how climate finance will deliver on gender equality and reach women’s organisations
Invest in a fossil fuel free future that creates green jobs and prioritises women’s rights.
Bring women’s voices to climate decision making.

Numerous NGOs are coming together to call on Governments to not only uphold their previous commitments – but to also go much further – to take a holistic view that includes social sustainability and human rights issues alongside the environmental impact.

We are part of a coalition of leading activists and organisations calling for climate justice with gender justice. We are also signatories to an Open letter from civil society calling for world leaders to put human rights at the centre of environmental policy. Protecting human rights and protecting the environment are inextricably linked. This can be seen in the global fashion industry which relies on a business model of globally sourced cheap labour. This industry – and many others – must be regulated to uphold the highest standards for both human rights and environmental sustainability, including paying garment workers a living wage.

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